Tag Archives: FCO

Pakistan Calling

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vimeoEnjoy watching the short film we made in Pakistan – the last of our Olympic Truce projects funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

We’re delighted it’s been included in the Royal Society of Arts Pakistan Calling programme.

Pakistan Calling is a platform for films showing links between civil and cultural organisations and communities in Pakistan and the UK.  Pakistan Calling aims to build community trust in the UK, and to support the creativity and energy of the British Pakistani diaspora and others working between Britain and Pakistan.

pkcalling_flagsThe film is on LBFN’s vimeo site as well.  You’re welcome to download it to use as a discussion starter or just to show local communities and religious leaders in Pakistan in ways not often portrayed in the popular media.

We’ll be following up our 2012 work with the FCO and with the Department for International Development, linking local religious and community organisations with the public sector in smart and strategic ways.  The London event was inspiring and threw up a number of possibilities which could include diaspora links with several other countries – let LBFN know if you have ideas to contribute on this.

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Rt Hon Justine Greening MP (centre) being presented with a World Peace Tartan scarf at the London event of LBFN’s Minority-Majority UK-Pakistan project last month, hosted by the Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network. The Bishop of Lahore is on the right of the picture.  Sadiq Khan MP also spoke at the event.

Invitation | UK-Pakistan Minority-Majority gathering

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Min-Maj invitation picPlease join us at our last Olympic Truce event – a wonderful gathering of people who are interested in the future of Pakistan and of this country and how we can work well together.

Tuesday 12th March, 3-8pm (with supper)

Memon Centre, 13 Weir Road, Balham, SW12 0LT

Download the invitation and sign up (limited places, so please register soon).  Pass the invitation on to those with links to Pakistan.  Look forward to seeing you there.

UK – Pakistan event

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The second part of the UK-Pakistan Minority-Majority Project is now fixed for Tuesday 12th March 3-8pm at the Memon Centre, 3 Weir Road, Balham, SW12 0LT (nearest tubes: Clapham South and Balham).

The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP (Minister for International Development) will be speaking, along with Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP, Anwar Akhtar (The Samosa), Humera Khan (An-Nisa Society) and others.

The conference is interactive and will look at the following minority-majority themes:

  • What Is Your Story?  Personal life stories from members of the Pakistan Diaspora, using memorabilia and reflection.
  • Our Communities.  What is the wider picture? How can the Pakistan Diaspora make a positive contribution to the future of Pakistan? How can the people of Pakistan support the Diaspora here?
  • What Is, What Might Be?  Reflections from our guests from Pakistan and consideration of smart, strategic and beneficial links between communities in the UK and Pakistan.

This is the last of LBFN’s twinned Olympic Truce initiatives involving local communities and promises to be an inspiring occasion, exploring practical and positive ways of working together in the future.  Local and senior religious and community leaders from the Pakistan diaspora, academics, school and madressa head teachers, scholars, representatives from minority and majority communities in the UK are all welcome.  Our visitors from Pakistan will also be with us.

Our partners are Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network (who is organising the London event) and Stockwell Green Community Services (who organised the Pakistan events).  We are grateful to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for supporting this project and for the Department for International Development for its co-operation.

The Samosa is currently working with the RSA on a film project to support civil society organisations in Pakistan.  The An-Nisa Society has recently launched Faith,Khidmah and Citizenship: Connecting Spirituality and Social Action to Build Civil Society.

Please pass this invitation on to your own networks, particularly those which have links with Pakistan.  Let me know if you would like to take part – attendance is free of charge, but places are limited and registration essential.

Olympic Truce minority-majority project

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mmproject picLBFN has been part of the Foreign Office’s Olympic Truce Stakeholders’ Group since 2011 and many of us met the FCO’s Conrad Bailey at the various London 2012 events last year.

We are delighted that one of our “twinned” projects is starting this week in Pakistan, supported by the FCO.  It looks at the close ties over centuries between this country and Pakistan and at the experience of the Pakistan diaspora.  What can government, civil society and religious organisations do together to enable greater awareness of minority-majority issues in both countries?  How can we work together in practical and positive ways?

More details are on the London Peace Network site.